Loudspeaker enclosure arrangement for voice communication terminals

Abstract

The invention provides an enclosure arrangement or a loudspeaker adapted to be mounted in a voice communication terminal. The invention provides primary and secondary enclosures for the loudspeaker. The primary enclosure comprises a piece of resilient open cell foam material having one face provided with a concavity suitable for receiving the spider and the voice coil structure of the loudspeaker. The peripheral edge of the one face of the foam material is secured to the peripheral edge of the spider and the outer surface of the foam material has a flexible layer of substantially air-impermeable material, whereby the loudspeaker is provided with an attached flexible enclosure. The secondary enclosure comprises the housing in which the loudspeaker is mounted. The flexibility of the primary enclosure allows energy to be coupled between itself and the secondary enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electro-acoustic transducer comprising, a small loudspeaker having a voice coil structure and a conical diaphragm supported by a spider having a peripheral edge defining the shape of the loudspeaker, a piece of resilient open cell foam material having a shape complementary similar to that of the loudspeaker and including an opening at its approximate geometrical center to permit close-fitting engagement with said voice coil structure and means for securing the peripheral edge of one face of said foam material to said peripheral edge of the spider, the outer surface of the foam material being covered with a flexible layer of substantially air-impermeable material, thereby providing the loudspeaker with an attached flexible enclosure. 
     
     
       2. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 1 and further comprising a piece of air-impermeable material of a size at least marginally larger than said opening, the material being adhesively secured to said foam material to effectively seal said opening. 
     
     
       3. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 2 wherein the material is a thin disk of ABS plastic. 
     
     
       4. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 2 wherein the outer flexible layer of the enclosure is provided with at least one energy coupling hole. 
     
     
       5. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 1 wherein said one face of the foam material is also provided with a conical concavity suitable for accommodating said spider. 
     
     
       6. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 1 wherein said foam material is adhesively secured to said peripheral edge. 
     
     
       7. An electro-acoustic transducer comprising, a small loudspeaker having a voice coil structure and a conical diaphragm supported by a spider having a peripheral edge defining the shape of the loudspeaker, a piece of resilient open cell foam material having a shape complementary similar to that of the loudspeaker, one face of the foam material having a concavity suitable for receiving said spider and said voice coil structure, and means for securing the peripheral edge of said one face of the foam material to said peripheral edge, the outer surface of the foam material being covered with a flexible layer of substantially air-impermeable material whereby the loudspeaker is provided with an attached flexible enclosure. 
     
     
       8. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 7 wherein the outer flexible layer of the enclosure is provided with at least one energy coupling hole. 
     
     
       9. The electro-acoustic transducer defined in claim 7 wherein said foam material is adhesively secured to said peripheral edge. 
     
     
       10. An enclosure arrangement for a loudspeaker adapted to be mounted in the housing of a voice communication terminal, comprising, a primary enclosure comprising a small flexible enclosure attached to the loudspeaker, and a secondary enclosure comprising the housing in which the loudspeaker and its attached primary enclosure are mounted, the flexibility of the primary enclosure allowing interaction between itself and the secondary enclosure. 
     
     
       11. An enclosure arrangement for a loudspeaker adapted to be mounted in the housing of a voice communication terminal, the loudspeaker including a voice coil structure and a spider supporting a diaphragm, the arrangement comprising: a primary enclosure comprising a piece of resilient open cell foam material having an opening at its approximate geometrical center to permit close-fitting engagement with said voice coil structure, the peripheral edge of one face of the foam material being secured to the peripheral edge of the spider and the outer surface of the foam material having a flexible layer of substantially air-impermeable material whereby the loudspeaker is provided with an attached flexible enclosure, the secondary enclosure comprising the housing in which the loudspeaker and the attached primary enclosure are mounted, the flexibility of the primary enclosure allowing interaction between itself and the secondary enclosure. 
     
     
       12. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein the opening in the flexible primary enclosure is sealed with a piece of air-impermeable material adhesively secured to the foam material. 
     
     
       13. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 12 wherein the flexible layer of the primary enclosure is provided with at least one energy coupling hole. 
     
     
       14. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein the foam material of the primary enclosure is adhesively secured to said peripheral edge. 
     
     
       15. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein said one face of the foam material is also provided with a conical concavity suitable for accommodating said spider. 
     
     
       16. An enclosure arrangement for a loudspeaker adapted to be mounted in the housing of a voice communication terminal, the loudspeaker including a voice coil structure and a spider supporting a diaphragm, the arrangement comprising: a primary enclosure comprising a piece of resilient open cell foam material having one face provided with a concavity suitable for receiving the spider and the voice coil structure of the loudspeaker, the peripheral edge of said one face of the foam material being secured to the peripheral edge of the spider and the outer surface of the foam material having a flexible layer of substantially air-impermeable material whereby the loudspeaker is provided with an attached flexible enclosure, the secondary enclosure comprising the housing in which the loudspeaker and the attached primary enclosure are mounted, the flexibility of the primary enclosure allowing interaction between itself and the secondary enclosure. 
     
     
       17. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 16 wherein the outer flexible layer of the primary enclosure is provided with at least one energy coupling hole. 
     
     
       18. The enclosure arrangement defined in claim 16 wherein the foam material of the primary enclosure is adhesively secured to the peripheral edge of the spider.